New Revised Standard NRS
The Message Bible MSG
1 Saul spoke with his son Jonathan and with all his servants about killing David. But Saul's son Jonathan took great delight in David.
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Saul called his son Jonathan together with his servants and ordered them to kill David. But because Jonathan treasured David,
2 Jonathan told David, "My father Saul is trying to kill you; therefore be on guard tomorrow morning; stay in a secret place and hide yourself.
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he went and warned him: "My father is looking for a way to kill you. Here's what you are to do. Tomorrow morning, hide and stay hidden.
3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you; if I learn anything I will tell you."
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I'll go out with my father into the field where you are hiding. I'll talk about you with my father and we'll see what he says. Then I'll report back to you."
4 Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him, "The king should not sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have been of good service to you;
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Jonathan brought up David with his father, speaking well of him. "Please," he said to his father, "don't attack David. He hasn't wronged you, has he? And just look at all the good he has done!
5 for he took his life in his hand when he attacked the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced; why then will you sin against an innocent person by killing David without cause?"
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He put his life on the line when he killed the Philistine. What a great victory God gave Israel that day! You were there. You saw it and were on your feet applauding with everyone else. So why would you even think of sinning against an innocent person, killing David for no reason whatever?"
6 Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan; Saul swore, "As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death."
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Saul listened to Jonathan and said, "You're right. As God lives, David lives. He will not be killed."
7 So Jonathan called David and related all these things to him. Jonathan then brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.
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Jonathan sent for David and reported to him everything that was said. Then he brought David back to Saul and everything was as it was before.
8 Again there was war, and David went out to fight the Philistines. He launched a heavy attack on them, so that they fled before him.
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War broke out again and David went out to fight Philistines. He beat them badly, and they ran for their lives.
9 Then an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, while David was playing music.
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But then a black mood from God settled over Saul and took control of him. He was sitting at home, his spear in his hand, while David was playing music.
10 Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. David fled and escaped that night.
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Suddenly, Saul tried to skewer David with his spear, but David ducked. The spear stuck in the wall and David got away. It was night.
11 Saul sent messengers to David's house to keep watch over him, planning to kill him in the morning. David's wife Michal told him, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed."
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Saul sent men to David's house to stake it out and then, first thing in the morning, to kill him. But Michal, David's wife, told him what was going on. "Quickly now - make your escape tonight. If not, you'll be dead by morning!"
12 So Michal let David down through the window; he fled away and escaped.
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She let him out of a window, and he made his escape.
13 Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed; she put a net of goats' hair on its head, and covered it with the clothes.
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Then Michal took a dummy god and put it in the bed, placed a wig of goat's hair on its head, and threw a quilt over it.
14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick."
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When Saul's men arrived to get David, she said, "He's sick in bed."
15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David for themselves. He said, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him."
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Saul sent his men back, ordering them, "Bring him, bed and all, so I can kill him."
16 When the messengers came in, the idol was in the bed, with the covering of goats' hair on its head.
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When the men entered the room, all they found in the bed was the dummy god with its goat-hair wig!
17 Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this, and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?" Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, "Let me go; why should I kill you?' "
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Saul stormed at Michal: "How could you play tricks on me like this? You sided with my enemy, and now he's gotten away!" Michal said, "He threatened me. He said, 'Help me out of here or I'll kill you.'"
18 Now David fled and escaped; he came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and settled at Naioth.
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David made good his escape and went to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel withdrew to the privacy of Naioth.
19 Saul was told, "David is at Naioth in Ramah."
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Saul was told, "David's at Naioth in Ramah."
20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David. When they saw the company of the prophets in a frenzy, with Samuel standing in charge of them, the spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also fell into a prophetic frenzy.
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He immediately sent his men to capture him. They saw a band of prophets prophesying with Samuel presiding over them. Before they knew it, the Spirit of God was on them, too, and they were ranting and raving right along with the prophets!
21 When Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they also fell into a frenzy. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also fell into a frenzy.
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That was reported back to Saul, and he dispatched more men. They, too, were soon prophesying. So Saul tried a third time - a third set of men - and they ended up mindlessly raving as well!
22 Then he himself went to Ramah. He came to the great well that is in Secu; he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" And someone said, "They are at Naioth in Ramah."
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Fed up, Saul went to Ramah himself. He came to the big cistern at Secu and inquired, "Where are Samuel and David?" A bystander said, "Over at Naioth in Ramah."
23 He went there, toward Naioth in Ramah; and the spirit of God came upon him. As he was going, he fell into a prophetic frenzy, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
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As he headed out for Naioth in Ramah, the Spirit of God was on him, too. All the way to Naioth he was caught up in a babbling trance!
24 He too stripped off his clothes, and he too fell into a frenzy before Samuel. He lay naked all that day and all that night. Therefore it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
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He ripped off his clothes and lay there rambling gibberish before Samuel for a day and a night, stretched out naked. People are still talking about it: "Saul among the prophets! Who would have guessed?"
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.